Garden Video

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Garden watering used to be a painful process. Slow, irritating, damaging to the garden and (in the eyes of the modern world), ridiculously labour intensive. Imagine, now, the amount of hours spent actually in the garden, overseeing garden watering – watching the sprinkler, trailing the hose around, tramping over a sodden lawn with a watering can.

To the modern eye, the garden watering habits of even 20 years ago seem archaic in the extreme. Why? Because new methods of garden watering have developed that require no more attention than the flick of a switch or the setting of a timer. The new school of garden watering rather swishly refers to itself as “garden irrigation”, and – though there are different stripes of the same enterprise – works by automating garden watering with systems of pipes and nozzles.

Basically, this new way of garden watering takes the hosepipe underground, or conceals it in borders, and splits it up like a capillary system so that its water is delivered to exact locations (rather than sprayed around at random, as was the case with old style garden watering). A simple garden watering system is attached to a normal water source: whenever a person wishes to water the garden, they turn it on, and when they want to stop watering, they go back and turn it off.

More complex garden watering systems can be linked to timers and control panels. They’re obviously a little harder to set up (a simple garden watering system is simply hooked up to the garden tap and then it’s ready): but, when they are set up, high end garden watering systems require no maintenance at all. Top flight garden watering systems can be programmed to take seasons into account; to water specified bits of the garden with differing frequency; and to turn on and off again of their own accord.

It’s amazing, looking back, how much time in the garden was taken up just by watering it: and how much water was lost in the process. New garden watering systems, of course, save gallons of water daily simply by directing the stuff to exact point rather than spraying it all over the place. And all that time freed up by the modern garden watering system means that the 21st century gardener can devote more attention to doing stuff they actually want to do – planting, weeding, introducing new colours and scents to their outside spaces.

Garden watering has come a long way since the galvanised watering can. And with modern garden watering systems as simple or as complex as an individual needs them to be, there’s nothing to stop everyone installing them. Certainly not price. Modern garden watering systems can be installed as basic set up packages for as little as £20.

Organic container gardening is an excellent way to grow flowers and vegetables at home. It has removed the limit that associated home gardening with a large yard space. It makes possible for urban gardeners to grow plants in their high-rise apartments and compact condominium units. It is so space efficient and beneficial that even countryside gardeners still have some plants growing in pots despite owning a sizeable garden area.

The biggest and obvious difference is that instead of planting directly in the ground, you'll be using containers to grow your plants. But using containers is where the added benefits come into play.

Containers double as barriers protecting plants from soil-born diseases and pests larvae that are present in the soil. It offers flexibility to move plants around as and when needed, to protect from unfavorable weather conditions such as hot summer and freezing winter days, for example. It allows for easier plantscaping, giving you more freedom to design a functional and attractive organic garden, as often as your whim dictates. Best of all, organic container gardening makes it possible to bring your garden indoors where you can enjoy the same benefit as you would outdoors.

And if that's not enough, growing plants in pots is also fairly easy and requires no special effort. To illustrate the point, here are seven simple ways to grow vegetables and flowers in containers.

1. Choose the size of the container based on the size of the mature plant and its root system. Plants with expansive root system need large containers. The size and material of the container affects its ability to hold moisture. But moisture-retention capability can be improved through the soil or by lining pots with non-porous and non-absorbent materials. Choose decorative pots with provision for collecting drained water for indoor plants. Choose durable containers that can withstand the elements for outdoor gardening.

2. Ensure that containers are fitted with enough drainage holes to prevent standing water. Line the bottom of the container with coarse gravel to ensure proper drainage.

3. Start with a good standard potting soil mixture. Add compost to the potting mix to supply nutrient to the plant. Use organic liquid fertilizer to give your plants instant boost. Use slow-release fertilizers for a steady and longer nutrient supply.

4. Place plants in containers where they can enjoy adequate sun exposure everyday. Five to eight hours are recommended depending on the plant's light requirement. Turn your plants regularly for equal exposure of all side to the sun.

5. During extremely hot days, move your plants under a shade to avoid wilting. Consequently, move them indoors to protect them from frost once winter sets in.

6. Water plants in containers more frequently than you would plants in the ground. Containers can only hold relatively small amount of soil and dry out quickly. Don't water too often. Overwatering will suffocate the roots causing them to rot. Frequent watering also washes away the fertilizers in the soil. Don't wait until your potted plants start to wilt before you water them.

7. Maintain 1:1 plant-container ratio for bushy flowering plants and vegetables. If you're going to grow more than on plant in a container, make sure that they have the same sun, water and fertilizer requirement. Don't have too many plants in a single container. Overcrowding impedes good air circulation that plants need.